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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27961406">Pokémon Axis: Between Worlds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jay_Hayden/pseuds/Jay_Hayden'>Jay_Hayden</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Axis, Pokemon Fan Games</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:27:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,443</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27961406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jay_Hayden/pseuds/Jay_Hayden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin lives in a small town, dreaming of adventure beyond its borders. One night, he feels called and has a strange dream. Of people he's never met, and places he's never been. Soon, very soon, the door to his destiny will swing open.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pokémon Axis: Between Worlds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In an instant a flash of white light… In the next he's here.</p><p>Merlin doesn't know where here is. All that's apparent is he's high above the world, even the clouds are beneath him, and besides the silver walkway he's traversing all he can see below him is the sky.</p><p>If anyone had been there to ask, he wouldn't have had an answer as to why but he couldn't stop moving forward, even as the world shook and thunderous tremors wracked his ears and the slim walkway he continued with no trace fear. Instead, as he traveled the path he merely felt beckoned, called. Like something just out of sight needed him, and he must reach it. Heart pounding with excitement he walked further into the unknown.</p><p>As he walks along he comes across pictures of people he's never seen before, but, strangely, he's depicted with them. Sometimes looking at them with a fondness that only comes with familiarity.</p><p>The first picture he sees is floating in the sky to his left. He is depicted standing in a clearing, flanked by trees. A girl with long, purple hair stands before him; curiosity in her dark eyes. The Merlin in the picture looks confused, but excited.</p><p>Floating on his right, opposite that picture is another, he's standing somewhere all white opposite a girl with pitch-black hair and a downcast expression. His face and posture make it clear he's concerned.</p><p>He advances further up the pathway and to his left sees himself standing with a woman with pink hair, gazing over at a young woman with yellow hair.</p><p>Opposite that floats an image of him sitting beside the raven-haired girl from before, staring over a table at a blue-haired woman holding hands with a young man in a knit cap.</p><p>Further along the path is a picture of a dark-skinned man in a black hood in a room with a checkerboard floor to the left and a picture of the purple-haired girl he saw first to the right. This time, she’s wearing a pink swimsuit and he stands behind her, clad in trunks. They’re standing on a cliff with flowers about them, staring out at something he can’t see in the picture.</p><p>He comes to a gap in the path and before he’s even aware of what he’s doing, he’s leaping high into the air, higher than he should be able to, clearing the distance safely. Once more he’s between pictures of the hooded man and the purple-haired girl. This time, however, he’s in neither picture and the people depicted gaze right at him. “We need you,” the hooded man says solemnly, and Merlin jumps at being addressed. The man’s eyes are cold as ice. “You’d be such a valuable asset to the team. We need your help.”</p><p>“Come back with us, Merlin,” the purple-haired girl pleads, eyes filled with concern mixed with something else. “With our friends, we can figure this out.”</p><p>The world shakes and light fills the sky once more and before Merlin can give their words more thought, he is urged forward by the same force as before. He keeps going until he finds himself before an old man in a white lab coat. “Hmm?” the old man mumbled to himself. “What am I doing here? I was just… Is this a dream?” He continued to mumble seemingly unconcerned with the shaking world and flashes of light.</p><p>“Um… Hello, sir?” Merlin tried politely.</p><p>The old man turned to him, and gave him a warm smile. “Oh, hello there!” he beamed. “Do you know where we are?”</p><p>“I… I don’t know,” Merlin admitted. “I’m not even sure how I got here, let alone where here is.”</p><p>“My name is Kanzan,” the old man, now known as Kanzan, said. “People call me a pokémon professor.”</p><p>“A pokémon professor?” Merlin asked in confusion. “What’s a pokémon?”</p><p>The old man looked shocked. “Uh… You don’t know what a pokémon is?” He pinched his jaw in thought. “Oh dear, um… Then you must not be from the Pokémon world?”</p><p>“I… don’t know what that means,” Merlin admitted, slightly embarrassed.</p><p>The professor shook his head. “I believe I’m from a different dimension than you,” he explained. “Same planet, different conditions.”</p><p>Merlin considered his words. “I’ve heard of stuff like that before,” he said, thinking about the stories of the door in the Glade. “But I’ve never heard anything about <em> pokémon </em>.”</p><p>Professor Kanzan nodded. “In fact, that pokémon are unknown to you almost proves this!” He threw a small round object in the air which split apart, gushing out light. Out of the light a red, draconic looking creature appeared. “This is a pokémon.” Merlin gasped, looking over the flames on its tail and it’s powerful looking tail and legs. “No need to be afraid, he won’t hurt you. Let me explain…”</p><p>Merlin nodded but still eyed the “pokémon” a little warily.</p><p>“People and pokémon live together by supporting each other in my world,” Professor Kanzan explained, gently stroking the creature on his snout, which it leaned into letting out an almost purr-like roar. “Pokémon are varied, coming in all shapes and sizes and all with abilities unique to themselves!”</p><p>Merlin’s eyes grew wide with excitement, imagining the possibilities. “Your world is filled with them? It sounds amazing!” the teen said excitedly.</p><p>Professor Kanzan smiled at his enthusiasm. “I wonder if you’ll ever come here and get to see more of them.”</p><p>“I would love too,” Merlin admitted. <em> A world filled with creatures like the one I just saw. Working alongside and being friends with people… </em> he thought. <em> That sounds… like a dream come true. </em></p><p>“There are many regions in my world. There are also multiple different species of pokémon,” the professor said, sounding like a teacher giving a lesson and continuing to stoke Merlin’s excitement for this other world. “I myself am from the Azarium Region. It’s filled with many varied environments, from forests to seas to deserts to snowy mountains! But strange things have been happening in the Azarium region as of late. People have been going missing and wild pokémon have been going crazy and attacking people bystanders!” Seeing Merlin’s face fall, he added, “They’re not usually so aggressive, that’s why it’s so odd.”</p><p>Merlin nodded, but his excitement had given way to concern for this other world. “I hope everything goes alright. I… I wish I could do something to help.” He didn’t know what possessed him to say it. Maybe it was the fact he still felt like something was calling him. Maybe it was just that the idea of a world as wonderful as that getting messed up bothered him.</p><p>“I believe this dream is a connection between worlds,” the old man said. “I’m not sure how it happened, but it’s an interesting phenomenon. You see, I study the possibility of parallel worlds. I’ve always wondered if different realities were possible.”</p><p>Merlin nodded, thinking once more about the stories of the door in the Glade. Everyone back home had heard the stories, warnings to never enter it if it appeared before you because there was no returning from the world it took you too.</p><p>“Oh but listen to me ramble on,” Professor Kanzan said. “After all, this is a dream. You may be a figment of my imagination. Step closer.”</p><p>Merlin did so, stepping fully into the clearing. “No problem.”</p><p>“I don’t have very good eyesight, even with these glasses,” the old man mused, taking a good look at Merlin. “Oh, you must think I’m so rude! We’ve been talking for several minutes now and I didn’t even ask for your name. What’s your name, son?”</p><p>Honestly, Merlin had been so enthralled with hearing about pokémon he hadn’t even thought about it. “You can call me Merlin,” he replied. “Everyone else does.”</p><p>“Merlin, eh? That’s a fine name.” Suddenly there was a sound like shattering glass and the world shook. “Merlin, what was that?”</p><p>It came, again, louder this time. “I don’t know, but it didn’t sound good.”</p><p>“You need to wake up!” Professor Kanzan warned as the world shook. “I think the dream reality might be collapsing! I’d like to talk more, but it seems that isn’t possible…”</p><p>“I wish I could talk to you more too!” Merlin shouted over the sounds of the space they were in breaking down.</p><p>“I have a feeling we’ll see each other again soon,” Professor Kanzan said, trying to sound calm. “In the meantime, keep an eye out for strange phenomena. I have a bad feeling about this…”</p><p>Merlin tries to say something, but there’s the sound of a loud explosion and everything goes black.</p>
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